Technical Tappet check and adjust every 25k miles

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Technical Tappet check and adjust every 25k miles

fezztah

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Hi,
bought a Panda 1.2 dynamic brand new 2009, only had one problem - passenger side door lock completely failed after a frosty night, but was replaced under warranty. Anyway, service book says "check tappet clearance and adjust if necessary every 25000 miles (petrol versions except 100BHp)". Took it to the local garage and they told me they "didn't think it had adjustable tappets". I know most cars these days have self adjusting pneumatic ones, but double checked the service book and it's there in black and white. Plus people online talking about how to do it - replacing metal shims.

Rang the dealer - they weren't sure, would ring back, never did. Took to a Halfords Service Centre - they confirmed that their computer system (which logs every make of car under the sun) said it needed doing. So they took engine cover off and had a look, only to find pneumatic self adjusting tappets - WHAT!!?? Charged £35 for nothing, should have been £70, but he took pitty on me. His only explanation was that Fiat must have updated the engine and forgot to update the service schedule?

That's what they said anyway...

Can anyone confirm this is an error in the service book? Not only mine, but they ones this site links to for download too.

thanks :)
 
That's what I'd read, the 1.2 dynamic is definitely an 8v engine, but first garage says it's self adjusting, dealer too stupid to know either way, third garage actually opened up the engine and said its definitely self adjusting. Very odd. It's hard to believe all three are incompetent, but it's possible :)
 
That's what I'd read, the 1.2 dynamic is definitely an 8v engine, but first garage says it's self adjusting, dealer too stupid to know either way, third garage actually opened up the engine and said its definitely self adjusting. Very odd. It's hard to believe all three are incompetent, but it's possible :)

Believe it.

The 1.2 8V Panda does NOT have self adjusting tappets. They are shimmed, and adjustment is carried out by replacing the shims with a different shim of appropriate size. FIAT dealers should be expected to keep in stock a selection of shims of varying sizes.

The service schedule calls for the tappet clearance to be checked every 24000 miles. They will quite likely need a few shims swapping or changing at the first 24000 mile check, but thereafter may settle down and stay in tolerance for many thousands of miles.

The chap from Halfords probably removed the cam cover, saw no obvious means of adjustment & incorrectly concluded they were self adjusting. :bang:
 
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This is bizarre. Rang another fiat dealer - Burrows in Sheffield and actually got hold of one of the mechanics. He said it's definitely a mistake in the manual and Pandas from 2009 onward have self adjusting tappets.

It would all be a lot simpler if Fiat had some official line of communication or up to date detailed tech spec on their site.
 
This is interesting. My 2011 Active with a Euro 5, 8-valve, 1242cc engine has (very obviously) the solenoid and oilway castings on the cam cover for a camshaft variator. So is it the case that the latest generation of this venerable engine now also has hydraulic tappets?
MFW.
 
I'm on holiday this weekend, but when I get home I'll pull the cam cover, take some pics & report back.

If FIAT have redesigned this engine, then I am also wondering about the 1.2 500.

My FIAT workshop documentation for both 1.2 Panda & 500 clearly shows them having shimmed valve gear. If they really have fitted hydraulic tappets, I need to see it to believe it.
 
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I imagine the guy at halfrauds can recognise a screw and locknut, but anything else must be self-adjusting. Depends on the quality of any training he's had.

I ran a classic Panda 750 from 44,000 to 89,000 miles, a 1.0 CLX from 20,000 to 108,000 miles, and a Seicento Suite 1100 from zero to 85,000 miles. Despite checking the clearances, none ever needed adjusting. I'm nearly ready to check the 38,000 mile Panda 1.2. Not expecting to have to do any work.
 
I imagine the guy at halfrauds can recognise a screw and locknut, but anything else must be self-adjusting. Depends on the quality of any training he's had.

I'd agree with you, but it's also the mechanic at the local garage, plus the mechanic at Burrows Fiat dealer too.
 
I'd agree with you, but it's also the mechanic at the local garage, plus the mechanic at Burrows Fiat dealer too.
Most people never bother to get the tappets adjusted so they probably don't get to see under the rocker cover.....
 
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